Olympic nostalgia
Watching the Olympic opening ceremonies, with athletes from 202 countries walking proudly behind their national flags, people of every shade and tone of humankind, sharing a stadium and the world stage, I just have to wonder...
Isn't it a shame we can't live like this all the time, instead of just for two weeks every four (every two, for the countries with winter sports) years?
It's also very cool to see Greece in the spotlight. I can't recall if I've written about it before, but I lived in Greece for two years when I was a preteen. My father was stationed at what was then a U.S. Air Force spy base (they called it "Security Service," but none of us had any illusions what was really going on) outside the city of Iraklion on the Greek island of Crete (Kriti, as the locals call it). Beautiful place, warm and lovely people, with a history unique in all the world as the cradle of what we so boldly call "Western civilization" today.
Interesting story — we ended up in Greece entirely by accident. My father was a carpenter by trade, and when he showed up at Iraklion Air Station, the base commander was completely nonplussed as to what to do with him. (Generally, Dad was assigned to civil engineering units, of which IAS had none.) The Pentagon refused to allow him to be sent back Stateside until his 24-month tour of duty was concluded, so the base brass put Dad in charge of the base's private beach. Seriously. His assigned job was loaning out volleyballs and styrofoam boogie boards, and overseeing a staff of three Greek lifeguards, two of whom were named George. (Half the men on Crete were named George. The other half were named either Stavros or Costas.)
The beach duty went so well that Dad got kicked upstairs to an air-conditioned office on the main campus, from which he managed not only the beach, but also the movie theater, the restaurant, and the other entertainment facilities. Our second year there, he won the award as the base's Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, complete with a massive trophy that was nearly as tall as I was then. I always used to kid him that the gave him a trophy because they felt sorry for him, getting stuck in Greece for two years with no real job.
I still look back on our Greek stay with a special fondness. If I ever got kicked out of my homeland for some reason, and had to live as an expatriate somewhere, I could do a lot worse than Crete. Yasou!
Isn't it a shame we can't live like this all the time, instead of just for two weeks every four (every two, for the countries with winter sports) years?
It's also very cool to see Greece in the spotlight. I can't recall if I've written about it before, but I lived in Greece for two years when I was a preteen. My father was stationed at what was then a U.S. Air Force spy base (they called it "Security Service," but none of us had any illusions what was really going on) outside the city of Iraklion on the Greek island of Crete (Kriti, as the locals call it). Beautiful place, warm and lovely people, with a history unique in all the world as the cradle of what we so boldly call "Western civilization" today.
Interesting story — we ended up in Greece entirely by accident. My father was a carpenter by trade, and when he showed up at Iraklion Air Station, the base commander was completely nonplussed as to what to do with him. (Generally, Dad was assigned to civil engineering units, of which IAS had none.) The Pentagon refused to allow him to be sent back Stateside until his 24-month tour of duty was concluded, so the base brass put Dad in charge of the base's private beach. Seriously. His assigned job was loaning out volleyballs and styrofoam boogie boards, and overseeing a staff of three Greek lifeguards, two of whom were named George. (Half the men on Crete were named George. The other half were named either Stavros or Costas.)
The beach duty went so well that Dad got kicked upstairs to an air-conditioned office on the main campus, from which he managed not only the beach, but also the movie theater, the restaurant, and the other entertainment facilities. Our second year there, he won the award as the base's Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, complete with a massive trophy that was nearly as tall as I was then. I always used to kid him that the gave him a trophy because they felt sorry for him, getting stuck in Greece for two years with no real job.
I still look back on our Greek stay with a special fondness. If I ever got kicked out of my homeland for some reason, and had to live as an expatriate somewhere, I could do a lot worse than Crete. Yasou!
SwanShadow was randomly pounding the keyboard at 10:40 PM
9 insisted on sticking two cents in:
I lived at Iraklion in the late 70's (76-79, maybe?), attended Jack R. Kearns elementary and middle school in a barracks on the base. Never knew what my dad did there--I just knew he worked underground! Thanks for reminding me of that great base.
I love hearing about others' experiences on Crete. I was also fortunate to spend 2 glorious years 1987-89 on Crete as a dependent. I did 9th & 10th grade at Jack R. Kearns DOD School. I really miss the "Ville" at night and the Pita Stand for lunch. The beaches were amazing.
In 1959-61, we lived at IAS after having been at Wheelus AFB in Tripoli, Libya. When Dad was working swing shifts and trying to sleep in the daytime, my mother would take us (4 kids, ages 8 down to 3) either to the base beach or up hiking up in the hills behind the base. We met a lot of goatherders and villagers and WWII widows tending graves and communicated with smiles and gestures when our baby Greek failed us. No one believes me today when I tell them our "base housing" was Italian travel trailers with concrete block lean-tos to hold a set of bunk beds, but it really didn't matter back then. Visiting Knossos, the market in Iraklion after a thrilling AF bus ride along cliffs, picking wild greens ("hortas") in the hills, snorkeling in the Med: I couldn't have dreamed of a better childhood.
I went to Jack R. Kearns elementary school in Iraklion... but it was in the early 90's and I was in the first grade. But from what i remember it was a lovely experience living in Crete.
Wow, fellow alums from Jack R Kearns Elem...I was there from 74-78 did 1st - 4th grades. You can reach me at jefkare@aol.com make sure to note in subject that is about crete. We lived in Chersonnisis (or something like that) then we moved on base to 805 C Crete Street. Friends were the Fields', Keller's Fords Podlass, Murphys and many more. Teachers were Maxfiled, Chersolis, and Walsh. Dax Hawkins played on my football team as did david moore (there fathers were commanders I believe)
Drop me a line love to hear from you
I lived on Iraklion Base 1970-1972. Best two years of my life. Wonder if your dad handed me a vollyball on the base beach? I practically lived on that beach eating, coffee ice cream until I would almost explode!!! I was in the 3rd and 4th grades there. Saturdays at the movies and the NCO club for the pre-teen dances!!!
georgiatechur@yahoo.com
I lived on Crete from '69-'71 and attended 3rd and 4th grades there. I was at the beach every day during the summer months. What a blissful experience for an 8 - 10 year old! Wish I could go back!
Holy Cow - talk about a blast from the past. Yes, my father was base commander at Iraklion AFB from 1976-77 I believe. I remember being terrified of the water but at the same time going outside the base perimeter because you could climb on the rocks and get around the fence in the ocean. Best friends were Jody and Colin at the time. Ah to be 7 again :). As for football - I remember running the wrong direction and wondering why people weren't cheering ...
I went to school at Jack R. Kearns American School from 1977-1980. I am Io, if anyone remembers me. My step-father was Greek, but he had a contracting job on the base, so he paid tuition for me to attend. I had the best years of my life there, and have lost touch with everyone there. I would love to hear from some of the old classmates in 7th-9th grade. Mrs. Vardakis and Ms. Benson were some of our teachers.
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